Smelling Brownies

A few days ago, I did something wonderful. I made chewy, chocolatey, delicious brownies. When I tugged open the creaking oven door to check on my dessert, the scent wafted over me. 
In fact, I smelled like brownies until I took a shower. It was kind of gross.
Quiz time! What's one thing that adds magic to books?
Answer: using the five senses! Touch. Taste. Sight. Smell. Hearing.
The reader's imagination is a wonderful thing. It creates a world from a scattering of symbols on a page. C-H-A-I-R become a actual figurative chair. Bet you pictured a chair in your mind, didn't you? But why not take it a step further? Describe how the chair feels! What it smells like! Get a little weird and describe the taste!
Each of these steps adds more details that makes the imagined world come to life. 
That said, don't go overboard. Ever read one of those books were a guy smells like three very specific things that don't have any relation to each other? Well, I have. It's unbelievable. Unless your character has a nose that rival's Gus' from Psych. I'm talking "Super Sniffer."

 Keep it simple, but keep it descriptive. Your readers will find themselves immersed in your story, and your world will become as real to them...
As it is to you.

Thank You, Elementary

I'm a huge fan of anything Sherlock Holmes. Not that I've ever read the books (it's on my bucket list, okay?), but I love the spin-off TV shows. Sherlock, Psych (it sort of counts), and Elementary.

                                                       

Earlier this week I got season two of Elementary out at the library. Commence binge watching. 15+ episodes in three days. Huge accomplishment. Now you can probably see why I was so behind on my NaNo-ing!

                                          

Anyway, in one episode, Sherlock was trying to solve a particularly difficult case. Watson came downstairs to see Sherlock doing sit ups and push ups. Sherlock explained that physical activity helps get blood flow to the brain, which aids in thinking.

                              

Elementary, my dear Watson.

So what have I been doing before I sit down at my desk to write?

I stretch.

I do push ups.

I do sit ups.

                                             

Then I get a glass of water and start working. The difference between "warming up" before writing and just sitting down is enormous.

Give it a try. You may be as surprised--and efficient--when you start writing as I was.